Physics

Physics · electromagnetism

Problem

During high speed motion in a strong electric field, a charged particle can ionize air molecules it collides with. A charged particle of mass m=0.1 kgm=0.1 \mathrm{~kg} and charge q=0.5μCq=0.5 \mu \mathrm{C} is located in the center of a cubical box. Each vertex of the box is fixed in space and has a charge of Q=−4μCQ=-4 \mu \mathrm{C}. If the side length of the box is l=1.5 ml=1.5 \mathrm{~m} what minimum speed (parallel to an edge) should be given to the particle for it to exit the box (even if it's just momentarily)? Let the energy loss from Corona discharge and other radiation effects be E=0.00250 JE=0.00250 \mathrm{~J}. Given constants: - Proton mass, mp=1.67⋅10−27 kgm_{p}=1.67 \cdot 10^{-27} \mathrm{~kg} - Neutron mass, mn=1.67⋅10−27 kgm_{n}=1.67 \cdot 10^{-27} \mathrm{~kg} - Electron mass, me=9.11⋅10−31 kgm_{e}=9.11 \cdot 10^{-31} \mathrm{~kg} - Avogadro's constant, N0=6.02⋅1023 mol−1N_{0}=6.02 \cdot 10^{23} \mathrm{~mol}^{-1} - Universal gas constant, R=8.31 J/(mol⋅K)R=8.31 \mathrm{~J} /(\mathrm{mol} \cdot \mathrm{K}) - Boltzmann's constant, kB=1.38⋅10−23 J/Kk_{B}=1.38 \cdot 10^{-23} \mathrm{~J} / \mathrm{K} - Electron charge magnitude, e=1.60⋅10−19Ce=1.60 \cdot 10^{-19} \mathrm{C} - 1 electron volt, 1eV=1.60⋅10−19 J1 \mathrm{eV}=1.60 \cdot 10^{-19} \mathrm{~J} - Speed of light, c=3.00⋅108 m/sc=3.00 \cdot 10^{8} \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s} - Universal Gravitational constant, G=6.67⋅10−11( N⋅m2)/kg2G=6.67 \cdot 10^{-11}\left(\mathrm{~N} \cdot \mathrm{m}^{2}\right) / \mathrm{kg}^{2} - Solar Mass M⊙=1.988⋅1030 kgM_{\odot}=1.988 \cdot 10^{30} \mathrm{~kg} - Acceleration due to gravity, g=9.8 m/s2g=9.8 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}^{2} - 1 unified atomic mass unit, 1u=1.66⋅10−27 kg=931MeV/c21 \mathrm{u}=1.66 \cdot 10^{-27} \mathrm{~kg}=931 \mathrm{MeV} / \mathrm{c}^{2} - Planck's constant, h=6.63⋅10−34 J⋅s=4.41⋅10−15eV⋅sh=6.63 \cdot 10^{-34} \mathrm{~J} \cdot \mathrm{s}=4.41 \cdot 10^{-15} \mathrm{eV} \cdot \mathrm{s} - Permittivity of free space, ϵ0=8.85⋅10−12C2/(N⋅m2)\epsilon_{0}=8.85 \cdot 10^{-12} \mathrm{C}^{2} /\left(\mathrm{N} \cdot \mathrm{m}^{2}\right) - Coulomb's law constant, k=14πϵ0=8.99⋅109( N⋅m2)/C2k=\frac{1}{4 \pi \epsilon_{0}}=8.99 \cdot 10^{9}\left(\mathrm{~N} \cdot \mathrm{m}^{2}\right) / \mathrm{C}^{2} - Permeability of free space, μ0=4π⋅10−7 T⋅m/A\mu_{0}=4 \pi \cdot 10^{-7} \mathrm{~T} \cdot \mathrm{m} / \mathrm{A} - Magnetic constant, μ04π=1⋅10−7( T⋅m)/A\frac{\mu_{0}}{4 \pi}=1 \cdot 10^{-7}(\mathrm{~T} \cdot \mathrm{m}) / \mathrm{A} - 1 atmospheric pressure, 1 atm=1.01⋅105 N/m2=1.01⋅105 Pa1 \mathrm{~atm}=1.01 \cdot 10^{5} \mathrm{~N} / \mathrm{m}^{2}=1.01 \cdot 10^{5} \mathrm{~Pa} - Wien's displacement constant, b=2.9b=2.9. 10−3 m⋅K10^{-3} \mathrm{~m} \cdot \mathrm{K} - Stefan-Boltzmann constant, σ=5.67⋅10−8 W/m2/K4\sigma=5.67 \cdot 10^{-8} \mathrm{~W} / \mathrm{m}^{2} / \mathrm{K}^{4}
Intuitive explanation

This is an energy conservation problem where you must find the initial kinetic energy needed to overcome the electrostatic potential energy barrier. The key insight is that the particle starts at the center (lowest potential energy due to attraction to the negative corner charges) and must reach the exit point with zero velocity. By symmetry, moving parallel to an edge means the particle exits through the center of a face—identify this exit point's distance from the center, calculate the potential energy change, and apply energy conservation accounting for the given loss.

Intuitive explanation

This is an energy conservation problem where you must find the initial kinetic energy needed to overcome the electrostatic potential energy barrier. The key insight is that the particle starts at the center (lowest potential energy due to attraction to the negative corner charges) and must reach the exit point with zero velocity. By symmetry, moving parallel to an edge means the particle exits through the center of a face—identify this exit point's distance from the center, calculate the potential energy change, and apply energy conservation accounting for the given loss.

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